Vice President Kamala Harris paused her rally near Phoenix, Arizona, on Friday night and addressed a group of hecklers from the podium.
The Democratic presidential nominee was not far into her address before thousands of vocal supporters when she was interrupted by some spectators yelling above the vice president. Harris’ rally in Arizona was reportedly her largest since entering the 2024 race, with an estimated crowd of more than 15,000.
“We are all in here together … because we love our country,” Harris said, gesturing toward the protesters. “We’re here to fight for our democracy, which includes respecting the voices that I think that we are hearing from. And let me just say this on the topic of what I think I am hearing over there. Let me just speak to that for a moment, and then I’m going to get back to the business at hand.”
“Let me say, I have been clear,” the vice president continued. “Now is the time to get a ceasefire deal and get the hostage deal done.”
The interruption at the rally in Glendale came two nights after Harris shut down hecklers in Detroit, Michigan.
Harris was speaking to supporters in Detroit about the infamous Project 2025 conservative policy initiative when a group of pro-Palestinian spectators could be heard chanting, in part, “We won’t vote for genocide.”
Harris paused her speech to tell the group, “You know what, if you want Donald Trump to win, then say that. Otherwise, I’m speaking.”
President Joe Biden‘s administration has faced immense pressure from progressives and left-leaning voters for its handling of the war in Gaza. Thousands expressed themselves at the ballot box during the primaries in the spring by voting “uncommitted” on the Democratic ticket.
The largest protest during primaries was seen in Minnesota, where 18.8 percent of Democratic voters voted “uncommitted.” In Arizona, where voting “uncommitted” or “no preference” was not an option, voters were encouraged to cast a ballot for former presidential candidate Marianne Williamson as a sign of protest. The author and activist garnered 15,844 votes, or 3.8 percent of the total ballots cast.
Harris established her stance on the war in Gaza just days into her presidential campaign, telling reporters at a news conference after meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that she stands with calls for a ceasefire.
“Israel has a right to defend itself, and how it does so matters,” she said in July.
But pro-Palestinian protesters have called on the vice president to do more. Leaders of the Uncommitted National Movement, who met with Harris before her rally in Michigan on Wednesday, have demanded that Washington enact a weapons embargo on Israel. Since Israel launched its military response to the Hamas attacks of October 7, over 40,000 people have died, according to Palestinian health officials cited by the Associated Press, and several international organizations have warned of a growing humanitarian crisis for those remaining in Gaza.
Around 1,200 people were killed in the October 7 attacks and more than 200 others were taken hostage.
Harris’ national security adviser, Phil Gordon, said over social media on Thursday that the vice president does not support an arms embargo on Israel.
“[Harris] has been clear: she will always ensure Israel is able to defend itself against Iran and Iran-backed terrorist groups,” Gordon wrote to X, formerly Twitter, adding that Harris “will continue to work to protect civilians in Gaza and to uphold international humanitarian law.”
Progressive political strategist Waleed Shahid said that Harris’ response to protesters on Friday was “a better approach” to her reaction to those who interrupted her in Michigan earlier in the week.
“But advocating for a ceasefire while supplying American bombs to Netanyahu is like giving an alcoholic drinks while urging him to get sober,” Shahid said on X. “It’s been ten months of horror and the largest Palestinian civilian death toll since Israel’s founding in 1948.”
Newsweek has reached out to Harris’ campaign via email for comment Friday night.
Update 08/09/24, 9:40 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information and background.
